Sheet feeding apparatus



Dec. 13, 1955 w. M. ANDERSON SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 20, 1952 n wy. 5.

'i 2( INVENTOR.

Dec. 13, 1955 W. M, ANDERSON 2,726,862

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .29 Illlllmllllllflllllll Z E Z'INI/ENTOR.

v Wilbur M. Anderson,

United States Patent 2,726,862 SHEET FEEDIN G APPARATUS Arcadia, Calif., assignor to The Elliott Addressing Machine Company, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 20, 1952, Serial No. 277,667 5 Claims. (Cl. 271-41) This invention relates to improvements in sheet feedmg apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for advancing sheets in succession from the bottom of a supply stack of the sheets. The invention provides an improved sheet feeding apparatus which is more sensitively effective for advancing single thin sheets of paper, and the like, as compared with prior comparable sheet feeding mechanisms, and which is readily adjustable for handling sheets of different thicknesses, with means for quickly retracting the feed control means without disturbing any particular precise setting of the control, as when it may become necessary or desirable to release a sheet or sheets which may have caused a jamming of sheets at the feed region of any particular machine, such as an addressing machine, for example.

Various mechanisms have been available heretoforev for feeding or advancing single sheets from the bottom of a stack of sheets. Such mechanisms have been ernployed in various arts, and are widely used in the printing art, such as in addressing machines, and the like, where sheets or sheet elements advance in succession into printing relation to printing devices, such as stencils, which also may advance in succession to the printing position.

The prior sheet feeding mechanisms have been effective for feeding relatively thick sheet elements, such as envelopes and post cards, and have been acceptably eifective for feeding relatively thin paper sheets made of the better grades of paper. However, the priorv sheet feeding mechanism and devices have been discouragingly ineffective and ineflicient when called upon to feed extremely thin sheets of paper and sheets made of the poorer grades of paper. This inability of the prior sheet feeding devices to effectively handle extremely thin sheets and low grade paper sheets has been particularly troublesome to manufacturers of addressing machines in that these sheets tend to cling together and the prior feeding devices frequently advance more than one sheet at a time from the supply stack. The problem has been aggravated by the need for stopping the machines at not infrequent intervals so that the feed control means might be withdrawn to clear the feed regions of jammed sheets, after which the feed control means has had to be carefully re-set in sheet feeding position. Customarily the feed control means is adjustable and retractible by means of a screw and, heretofore, considerable time has been consumed, while a machine has been idle, to manually retract the feed control means and to restore it and properly re-set it by manual rotation of the adjusting screw.

It is among the objects of my present invention to provide a sheet feeding apparatus capable of feeding or advancing sheets and sheet elements, including extremely thin sheets and sheets of poorer grades of paper, one at a time in succession to a predetermined location at or from which the successive sheets may be brought into printing engagement with stencils, or comparable printing devices, with considerably greater assurance that only single sheets, or sheet elements, will be advanced,

as compared with prior sheet feeding mechanisms. According to the invention, a flexible finger, of rubber or the like, coacts with a rotating drum to effect the advance of only single sheets, or sheet elements, from the bottom of a supply stack, the exible finger being combined with a backing plate and being manually adjustable relative to the backing plate toward and from the rotating drum, and the backing plate being adjustable, relative to the flexible finger, toward and from the rotating drum, thereby to condition the exible finger in its adjusted positions for advancing only one sheet, or sheet element, at a time regardless of the grade or the thinness of the paper, the backing plate adjustments having the effect of increasing and decreasing the effective flexibility of the finger at its region of engagement with the sheets, or sheet elements, which are being advanced.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus wherein a flexible finger coacts with a rotating drum to advance sheets, or sheet elements, from the bottom of a supply stack, one at a time in succession to a predetermined location, and wherein the exible finger is mounted in an adjustable carrier by means of which the end portion of the nger may be adjusted toward and from the rotating drum, and wherein a backing plate for the flexible finger is separately adjustable along the linger to vary the effective flexibility of the work-engaging end portion of the finger to suit the character of any particular sheets, or sheet elements, which at any time are being advanced in succession from the stack.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus having a exible finger of rubber, or the like, coacting with a rotating drum, or roll, to advance sheets, or sheet elements, one at a time in succession from the bottom of a supply stack to a predetermined location, the flexible nger being mounted for manual adjustment whereby its end may be set to provide varying pressure on a sheet, or sheet element, projected between it and the rotating drum, or roll, and there being means for quick bodily retraction of the flexible finger without disturbing a said precise setting of the nger which, when released following a said retraction, returns to the same precise set relation to the drum, or roll, which it had prior to a said retraction.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve sheet feeding structures and more especially such structures wherein a flexible finger coacts with a rotating drum, or roll, in effecting the feed of sheets and wherein the exible finger, heretofore, has not been selectively conditionable to change its effective iiexibility, nor bodily retractible without upsetting its precise operative sheet feeding relationship to the coacting drum, or roll.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a medial vertical cross-sectional View of sheet feeding mechanism embodying features of my invention in coacting relation to a sheet feeding drum of an addressing machine, or the like;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a portion of the sheet feeding drum of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a face view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 apart from the sheet feeding drum, with the hinged portions of the apparatus swung generally into a common plane from their relative positions of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view looking at the opposite face of a portion of the upper plate member as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a face view of the upper portion of the apparatus of Fig. 3, on a larger scale, and with portions broken away, the control nger, its carrier and the retracting lever being shown by full lines in their retracted positions and by dotted lines in their normal positions;

3 Y Fig. 7 is an edge elevation of the apparatus of Fig.` 6, looking at the edge which is to the left in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rubber nger and its carrier member; and

Fig. 9V is a perspective view of the nose piece in which the rubberfinger of Fig. k8 is guided. Y

Referring to the drawings, the inventionis illustrated in Fig. 1 as it'may be embodied in anaddressing machine of the generalrvariety disclosed 'm Patent No. 2,152,179, dated March 28, 1939, Vwhich isY owned by the assignee Y ofV my present invention. In the'said patent, sheet feedone of theV printing devices.

The lowerportion of a supply stack ofsheets is indi-V cated at 12 in Fig. 1, the sheets being supported by any conventional means (not shown)k with the sheets of the stack inclined Vdownwardly ktoward the drum 10 so that the leading edge portion of ,the lowermost sheet rests on `thedrum which may be of a type well known in the addressing machine art. As best seen in Fig. 2, the drum 10 has an annularrraised` portion 10a of considerableV width centrally between its opposite side edges, anked on each side by the annular portions 10b of smaller diameter. Each portion 10b has aconventional serratedV striplc of rubber, or the like, secured thereon and extending around only a predetermined fractional part of the total periphery ofthe drum 10. During each rota-V 4tion ofthe drum, the serrated stripsl lilc engage the lowermost sheetY in the stack 12y and, in conjunction with means adjacenttoV the drum surface, advance the sheets inl succession from the bottom of stack 1,2.

My present invention is concerned primarily with improvements in means mounted adjacent to the drum 10 for coacting with the drum in eifecting the feed or advance ofrsheets. A plate 14 is rigidly secured at a xed location relative Vto the rotating drum 10, itrbeing shown,

Y in Fig. 1,V inclined somewhat from verticality toward `the supplyv stack 12 of sheets in position to serve as a Wall Yor abutment against which the forward edges of the inclined stacked sheets engage. As herein shown, opposite marginal portions of plate 14, toward the lower end of the plate, arev depressed out ofthe planeof Vthe ,plater to provide theV angularly disposedfeet16, for engaging `and being secured to any suitable hiredl vertical support'sul (Fig. 1). Each foot 16 has Iwo holes 20 therein for reception of screws by which thegplate 14 may he rigidly secured to supports 1,8, AdjustablyY mountedvou platevlfi` is a generally rectanguiar block 22 of resilient material, preferably rubber, one end of which isbevelled, as .at 24, and theother end portion of which is secured to acarriermemben 26 which is longitudinally movable on plate V14 to set Vthe bevelled end of rubber block 22 toward and from the drulnlll. The rubber block 22 constitutes` a resilient. linger for coaction with drum 10-in passing only single Sheets from stack 12, and the block or finger is slidably retained on plate 14 by theY nose piece 28 which, with plate` 1,4,"denes a rectangular passage within which block or finger 22 is guided in its movements toward and from the drum. VThe upper end of carriermember 26 has an out-turned ear 27 thereon, and the lower end portion of an adjusting vscrew 30 is connected toV ear 27 and is threadedly engaged in a nut 32' which is xedly secured to plate 14 by the two screws 34. By removing the screws 34, the adjusting screw 30, nut 32, carrier 26 and block or linger 22 may be removed as a unit from plate 14.

An important feature of the .invention resides in the provision of a resiliently yieldableconnection between theV carrier ear 27 .and the lower `end portionnoffthe adjusting screw 30 whereby the carrier member 26 and the carried rubber finger 22 may be quickly retracted from drum 10 without disturbing the adjustment of screw 3), so that` when the carrier and finger are retracted and subsequently'A released, the finger automatically returns to 'itsprevious' position and setting relative to drum 10.

As best seen in Fig. 1,Y andin the larger scale showing 1 of Fig. 6, the lower end portion of adjusting screw 3@ has a sleeve 36 thereon xed against longitudinal move-VV ment relative to the screw bythe flanged collars 38,

46 which may be pinned'to screw 36 as shown at, 42. Carrier ear 27' has an opening therethrough and Yengages loosely around sleeve 36. Oneend of a retractinglever 44 has an opening therethrough and isengaged loosely around sleeve 36 between theear 27 and theV lower pinned collar, 3S. A spring 46 is coiled around sleeve 36 and is under compression between carrier ear 27 and the flange of the upper pinned collar 40.. The looseness of the engagement of lever 44 around sleeve '36 is such that the lever may be manually actuated from its normal horizontal position, shown dotted in Figi. 6, to the full line position of lever 44 in'Fi'g. 6, thereby to force Ycarrier ear 27 upward along sleeve 36, with further compression of spring 46, and with substantial retractionof carrier 2,6 and the carried rubber Vfinger 22. When lever 4.4;isreleased, spring'46 restoresA the lever to its dotted Vposition of Fig. 6, and restores thebevelled end of rubber linger 22 to its previous position, indicated byV dotted'lines in Fig'. 6. Hence, after finger 22Vhas been, properly; and precisely adjusted relative to druml, any jamming of sheets at the feed region may be quickly remediedl by retracting the linger 22, and the linger returns to its precise predetermined relation to the drum whenretracting lever 44 is released. Heretofore, retraction of a feed control finger, or comparable means, has involved a manualV un-V screwing ofthe adjusting screw, Yfollowed by careful manual restoration of the feed control means to a proper operative relation to the feed drum by means of the adjusting screw,

Another important featureV of the invention VresidesV in means for changing the effective flexibility of the rubber finger 22 in any position to'which it may have` been adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 36. A backing plateV or blade 48 is `slidably retained and guided within the nose piece 28l ,and directly engages rubber iinger 2'2 Y theexibility o f the inner endv portion of the finger, In

other words, the location of the lower edge of backing blade43 determinesthe'amountthat linger 22 can ex inV the direction of feedV in response to rotation of drum 10. Hence, in addition to permissible manual adjustments kof iinger 22 towardr and 'from .drum 1G, the'sensitivity of ,A linger 22 in any set position maybe `considerably varied by adjusting blade 4 8 relative to the ngen V Although blade 48' may be adjusted by anysuitablre means, IV have foundit convenient to utilizea resilient friction clamp, indicated generally atv5.0, which maintains the-blade, by'friction,inanyvpositionV of adjustment but which permits manual shifting of the bladebetwelen dierent positions, As hereinA represented, the blade 48 ex,-

tends upward out of nose piece 2S and laterally at 48a to lone edge margin of plate 14, and inward and upward along andin contact withY the margin of plate 14, as at 48h. v.The upper end portion 481) Preferably has .aurontturnedngerzpiecefii thereon to facilitate manual movements of the backing blade 48. Y

Friction clamp 50 engages the portion 48h, which is slottedvat 48d for coaction with the clamp.` The clamp consists of a pin or post 52 rigid on plate 14v and projectingv forward throughslot 4Sciand through'washer S4, A .coil .spring `56', A21nd washer 58.5 witlrra;A lockmasher; 69

engaged'in groove 62 inthe outer end portionof the post 52, maintaining spring 56 under compression between the two washers 54, 58. The clamp creates friction between portion 48b and plate 14 suflicient to maintain the backing blade 48 against unintentional movements on plate 14, and the blade remains stationary when linger 22 is being manually adjusted by screw 30 and` also when it is retracted by actuation of retracting lever 44.

Preferably, the nut 32 in which adjusting screw 30 engages will be a split nut as best seen in Figs. 4 and 7, with a screw 64 for drawing the split portions of the nut into clamping relation to adjusting screw 30 when it may be desired to lock the adjusting screw with linger 22 in any particular adjusted position.

Fig. l shows conventional mechanism beyond control iinger 22, including pressure roller 66 hinged at 68 to a plate part 70 on the nose piece 28, the roller 66 being constantly pressed toward the central raised portion a of drum 10 by springs 72, as is well known in the addressing machine art, and the pressure plate member 74 extending forward from a pivot '76 on the hinged frame 78 which supports roller 66. Y

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, that my improved sheet feeding apparatus provides greater sensitivity in the control of the feed of sheets and sheet elements, as compared with sheet feeding mechanisrns heretofore available, whereby extremely thin sheets, and sheets of poorer grade paper stock, may be eectively and etiiciently advanced, one at a time, from the bottom of a supply stack, as well as thicker sheets and sheet elements. While the lower end of xed plate 14 is set relatively close to the drum l0, it does not necessarily prevent the passage of more than a single sheet. The single sheet feed is effected as a result -of pressure of the resilient finger 22 and this pressure is variable by adjusting the end of the nger toward and from the drum, but the pressure which is effective during the sheet feeding process also is variable by adjustment of blade 4S relative to the finger in any set position of the finger, and it is an important feature and advantage of the invention that the finger 22, when once properly set, automatically compensates for considerable variations in thicknesses of sheets and sheet elements. For example, a single proper setting of iinger 22 and blade 48 will effectively handle postcards, No. l0 envelopes, and other mailing pieces of comparable thickness, without need for adjustment of the linger or blade. This is important as compared with the prior comparable feed devices which have required adjustment for each appreciable change of thickness of the sheets, or sheet elements. Considerable diflculty is encountered to get average machine operators to acquire the technique of making proper adjustments. The invention substantially reduces the number of adjustments required for handling a full range of thicknesses of sheets, or sheet elements, which any particular machine may be called upon to handle.

Also, my improved sheet feeding apparatus makes it feasible to quickly retract the feed control finger 22 whenever it may be necessary or desirable to clear a jammed condition at the feed region, and the control finger, when released, goes back automatically to its previous position, avoiding the need for subsequent adjustments of the finger 22 or the backing blade 48.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. ln a sheet feeding apparatus having a rotating drum, the combination therewith of a generally rectangular' feed-control member having an edge portion of resiliently exible material, said member being thrust edge wise into engagement with the periphery of the drum suiciently'to cause appreciable'exing of said edge portion in the direction of sheet travel whereby a sheet element advancing between said member and the drum is required to further ex said edge portion of said member away from the drum with the flexed edge portion resiliently engaging and wiping the advancing sheet element, plate means associated with said feed-control member and having an inner edge about which the said exing of said edge portion of said member occurs, manual means for adjusting said plate means relative to said member thereby to move said edge of the plate means relative to said member in directions generally toward and from said drum, a said movement of said edge of the plate means toward the drum having the effect of reducing the degree of exure of said edge portion of said member and increasing the relative stiffness of said exed edge portion of said member.

2. In a sheet feeding apparatus having a rotating drum, the combination therewith of a generally rectangular feed-control member having an edge portion of resiliently liexible material, said member being thrust edgewise into engagement with the periphery of the drum suthciently to cause appreciable flexing of said edge portion in the direction of sheet travel whereby a sheet element advancing between said member and the drum is required to further ex said edge portion of said member away from the drum with the flexed edge portion resiliently engaging and wiping the advancing sheet element, means supporting said feed-control member for bodilyv movements thereof generally toward and from saiddrum, said supporting means including a resilient element constantly biasing said member in general direction toward said drum, manually operable means for effecting gradual bodily movements of said member in general directions toward and from said drum whereby said edge portion of said member may be adjusted into a predetermined flexed relation to said drum, and an actuating lever for effecting rapid bodily retraction of said member in opposition to the bias of said resilient element and independently of said manually operable means, the latter said element restoring said edge portion of said member to its previous flexed relation to the drum when said lever is released.

3. In a sheet feeding apparatus having a rotating drum, the combination therewith of a generally rectangular feed-control member having an edge portion of resiliently flexible material, said member being thrust edgewise into engagement with the periphery of the drum suiciently to cause appreciable flexing of said edge portion in the direction of sheet travel whereby a vsheet element advancing between said member and the drum is required to further ex said edge portion of said member away from the drum with the flexed edge portion resiliently engaging and wiping the advancing sheet element, means supporting said feed-control member for bodily move- 4ments thereof generally toward and from said drum,

said supporting means including a spring constantly biasing said member in general direction toward said drum, plate means associated with said feed-control member and having an inner edge about which the said flexing of said edge portion of said member occurs, manually operable means for effecting gradual bodily movements of said member in general directions toward and from said drum, whereby said edge portion of said member may be adjusted into exed engagement with said drum with a predetermined degree of exure thereof about said edge of said plate means, said plate means being movable independently of said member to adjust its Said edge along said member to increase and decrease the relative stiness of said tiexed edge portion of said me if ber following a said adjustment of its degree of flexure by said manually operable means, and a clamp for securing said plate means with its said edge in a selected position of adjustment along said member.

4. In a sheet feeding apparatus having a rotating drum,

aras-,fles Y the combination therewithY .ofv a generally.-r rectangular feed-controlV memberhaving a bevelled edgew portion of Vresiliently llexible materiall with the` bevelled surface facing in the direction from which4 a sheet element. advances toward said member, said member being thrust'edgewise into engagement with the periphery of thedrum sufii- Yciently to appreciably ex said edge portionfof said'mem ber in the direction of sheet travel andto bring av substantial portion of said bevelled surface ofsaid 'flexed edge portion of said member into approximatelyatwse engagement with the peripheryr of the` drum, whereby a sheet element advancingbetween said' member and drum is required to further ex said edge portionof said member away from thedrum with the exed edge portion res siliently engaging and wiping the advancingsheetelement,

means supporting said feed-controlA member for bodily movements thereof generally tow-ard and from said drum, said supporting means including'va resilient element constantly biasing said member in general direction toward said drum, manually operable means for eiectinrggradual bodily movements of sa-idVmember-in general directions toward and-from said drum'whereby saidedge portion of saidmember'may beadjusted into a predeterminedfexed relation to saiddrum, and an actuating lever foreffecting rapid bodily retraction of said member'in opposition to hex said; edge, portieri of said member awayy fromV the drum withv then exededge :portionresiliently engaging Y and'` wiping. the advancing sheety element, a sheet metal guide forsaidV feed-control member having a relatively fixed' position relative to said drum,`said member being i Y bodily movable infsaidfgudegin general directions'towardV Y andV from said drum, manually operablemeans for grad? ual adjustmentA of' said member in said guideV and` includ; ing a compression spring constantly biasing said member toward thedrum, an actuating rrleverrfor. rapid' bodily retraction of said member in. its said guide,l in opposition to the bias of saidlspring, said spring acting to restore said member to lits original position when said' lever is rev leased, aplatearranged on that side of said member which faces in the direction of sheet-feed, said platehaving an A inner edge-alzioutvv which said'exed edge portion ofv said member is flexed, means supporting said plate forY sliding movements thereof generally towardand from said -drum Y whereby said'edgeof theplate maybe adjusted along said the bias of said resilient element andindependently of Y said manually operable means, the lattersaid element restoring said edge portion of said member to itsprevious flexed relation to the drum whensaid lever issreleased.V

5. In a sheet feeding apparatus having a rotating drum, the combination therewith of a generally rect-angularl feed control rnemberhaving an edge portion of-resiliently'exible material, said member being thrust edgewiseinto engagement with the periphery 01:"A the drum suicientlyeto cause appreciable ilexing of said edge portion in the di rection of sheet travel whereby a sheet element advancing between said member and the drum is--reqnired'to further member to reducevthe degree of flexure of said ilexedend portion of said-member and -toincrease the relative stilines's-ofs-aid exed end portion of said member, andmeans for securing said plate with'its edge in any selected-posig tionofadjustment-alongsaidmember;

References Citedxin the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LaBorC Apr; 21, 1953 

